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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24110770">Of Scales and Feathers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mechanical_Curse/pseuds/Mechanical_Curse'>Mechanical_Curse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Bonding Over Murder, Canon-Typical Violence, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mermaid Ed, Merpeople, Pining, Siren Oswald, Strangers to Lovers, nursing back to health</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:07:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,231</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24110770</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mechanical_Curse/pseuds/Mechanical_Curse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirens are ruthless killers, half-bird, half-men. They lure their unsuspecting victims with their voice before delivering the final blow.</p><p>On the other hand, mermen are kind, gentle sea creatures who save drowning people and comes to the rescue of ships about to sink.</p><p>Edward is a merman, but he doesn’t share the same ideals as the rest of his kind, not since he started killing people. So when he meets Oswald, a wounded siren, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to have someone mentor him on this new path he’s taking.</p><p>Neither of them expected their partnership to slowly grow into something more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oswald let out a sharp cry of pain. His left wing was broken and blood was dripping from his shoulder, but it was nothing compared to the grief of losing his mother. He tried to contain his tears, to stay as quiet as possible. If Galavan and his sister put their hands on him, they would kill him for good.</p><p>His breathing was ragged, but he forced himself to keep flying, even if it felt like torture to him. If he fell into the waters underneath him, he would be vulnerable, easy to find, and his enemies wouldn’t have any trouble killing him for good. He needed to find a place where he could land, where he would be safe…</p><p>Just as black spots started appearing in the center of his vision, he spotted a small island in the middle of the ocean, covered by a few palm trees. It wasn’t exactly ideal, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Thankfully, the winds were on his side and helped him reach his destination.</p><p>With his damaged wing, the maneuver was difficult and he ended up stumbling into the sand, head first. He spat out some of it and felt even more miserable than before. Well, at least he didn’t fell on rocks. Oswald rolled over, then he tried as best as he could to steady his respiration. Just as he started to calm down, he spotted movement at the corner of his vision.</p><p>His heartbeat went crazy again. He was too weak, if Galavan put his claws on him right now, he wouldn’t survive. As he looked all around him, he caught a glimpse of shiny scales. It took his distressed mind a moment to remind Oswald that Galavan had fathers just like himself, not scales. According to all probabilities, the person lurking on him had to be…</p><p>The merman slowly approached him, cautious not to scare him. In his almost delirious state, all Oswald could focus on was the vibrant green of his tail. He didn’t try to run away: Hurt as he was, he wouldn’t go far anyway. Once the other man was close enough, he put a gentle hand on his shoulder — the healthy one— and offered him a reassuring smile.</p><p>“Shh, it’s okay, calm down. I’m going to take care of you, I promise.”</p><p>Oswald saw nothing but sincerity in the merman’s soft brown eyes. However, that didn’t help to ease his panic.</p><p>“I… I need to hide… Or they’ll find me… They’ll find me…”</p><p>He tried to gesture towards the trees that grew on the island. They would make a good shelter. If he stayed underneath them, then maybe Galavan wouldn’t see him from above. However, he didn’t have the chance to explain his intentions any further. His head started hurting again, even worse than before. Despite how much he fought it, he ended up fainting, right in front of the strange merman.</p><hr/><p>Ed couldn’t believe his eyes nor his luck. The man in front of him was a siren, a real one! His curiosity got the better of him and he ran his fingers through the black feathers of his wing. The stranger’s mouth was slightly open, which allowed him to discern pointy teeth. He also didn’t miss how the tips of his fingers ended up in sharp, dangerous claws. Ones that could probably rip Ed’s throat in just one strike.</p><p>Any other merman would have stayed away from such a creature. Damn, he could already hear Jim’s lecture if he ever learned that Edward got so close to a siren. But when he looked at him, all Ed felt was a dizzying thrill. The siren looked so peculiar, so fascinating. He wanted to examine every inch of him, to discover all the secrets that made him one the greatest predators of the sea.</p><p>And with some luck… Yes, with some luck, maybe he would accept to share some of his killing techniques with him. After all, sirens were known for luring sailors away and drowning them. Edward was sure they could benefit from each other.</p><p>Now, he was getting ahead of himself. First thing first, he needed to take the siren somewhere no one would find him, so that he could tend to his wounds. Seeing how panicked he was, someone or something was clearly after him.</p><p>Thankfully for him, Ed knew just the perfect place.</p><hr/><p>Oswald groaned as he woke up. His whole body felt stiff and his feathers were soaked. His instincts screamed at him to preen them immediately, but when he moved, pain blossomed in his shoulder. That was all it took for him to remember his altercation with Galavan, his injuries, the death of his mother…</p><p>Did his enemy capture him? He looked all around, but all he could see were walls of stone. Strange blue reflects danced upon them. They came from a small pond of water. He raised his wings, ready to take flight, when someone gripped his wrist.</p><p>“Hey, slow down there. You don’t want to reopen your wound.”</p><p>Brown eyes stared at him worryingly and he calmed down a little as his memories came back to him.  At least it wasn’t another siren ready to rip him to shreds.</p><p>“You… You’re the merman from the island.”</p><p>“That’s me. My name is Edward, but you can call me Ed. What’s yours?”</p><p>“Oswald. Now would you please tell me where the hell I am?”</p><p>Excitement filled Edward’s eyes, as if he had just been waiting for that question.</p><p>“In a cave, underwater. I’m the only one who knows about its existence, so you’ll be safe here, don’t worry. It’s pretty rare to find one with a pouch of air inside, so I kept it a secret when I discovered it.”</p><p>“Wait, you brought me here?”</p><p>“I did! You’re really light, by the way. I guess that’s because you must have hollow bones so that you can fly. Is that so? Your wings are absolutely amazing, I must say!”</p><p>As Edward started a long monologue about his siren anatomy, Oswald barely repressed the urge to skin the merman right there and then. He was hurt and still mourning his mother, and therefore not ready to endure Ed’s strange enthusiasm. However, he needed to think about his own survival. After all, he didn’t know just how deep this cave was underwater. Without the merman’s help, he could be trapped here forever. At least now he knew why his feathers were wet.</p><p>He took a second to examine his savior. He wasn’t wearing anything, except for a few purple jewels that seemed attached to the skin of his collarbone and shoulders. Oswald couldn’t help but shiver at the sight. How was he not freezing without any feathers to keep him warm?</p><p>There were gills on both sides of his neck, although they were almost unnoticeable, as if the creature in front of him tried to imitate a human as best as he could. However, the green scales that started appearing above his waist gave away his true nature. They started in a dark tone but grew lighter as they got nearer the tip of his fins, up to the point where they looked almost translucent. The end of the merman’s tail looked thin, but Oswald suspected that those scales were hiding some strong muscles.</p><p>His brown hair was slightly curled, surely because they were wet, and matched the deep color of his eyes. To Oswald’s surprise, he was also wearing glasses that were held by algae skillfully laced together at the back of his head, surely so they would stay in place when he was swimming. A small bag was also hanging off his shoulder.</p><p>“Oh, about that, could you try spreading your wing? I did my best to fix it, but my knowledge of your kind is, well, rather limited. I think I put your bones back in the right position, but it wouldn’t hurt to be sure.”</p><p>Now, that caught Oswald’s attention. Despite his pain, he knew that he needed to recover. His mother would have wanted him too, had she still been here. So with reluctance, he did what the merman asked of him, although he let out a pained shriek as he extended his wing.</p><p>“Not so fast, you’re going to hurt yourself! Let me guide you.”</p><p>Oswald hissed as the merman reached for his wing. He didn’t like the idea of having anyone touching him when he was so vulnerable. Ed put his hands in the air, to show that he didn’t mean him any harm.</p><p>“I’m just trying to help you. Please don’t make this more difficult for us both.”</p><p>“Speaking of that, why did you even rescue me? What’s in it for you? Or are legends about mermaids being desperate to help strangers true?”</p><p>Suddenly, something changed in the merman’s expression. His curiosity and eagerness were replaced by something feral, something dark that almost scared Oswald.</p><p>“Oh, those legends are true. The mermen of my pod are all about rescuing humans from sunken ships, helping the innocent, doing the right thing, but I’m not like them. At least, not anymore. I’ve… changed, recently.”</p><p>“Could you please cut your little introspection and get to the point?”</p><p>“Okay so: I started killing people. Here, I said it.”</p><p>Now, that was a turn of events Oswald didn’t expect. Not that he was phased by it. Death and murder were part of his everyday life after all. He doubted that the merman had more blood on his hands than him.</p><p>“Merpeople or humans?”</p><p>Edward grinned.</p><p>“Both. Anyway, the reasons I saved you is because I hoped you could teach me a few things so I’ll be more… efficient in my new activities. Unless the myths of sirens luring humans to devour them turn out to be untrue, but I doubt so. I mean, just from looking at your teeth, talons and claws, I can tell you’re meant to be a predator.”</p><p>Oswald couldn’t help but let out a sharp, bitter laugh. At least his savior was being honest about his motivations. Not that Oswald intended to satisfy his wishes. Actually, he felt too empty, too numb to do anything.</p><p>“The myths are real, but I don’t think you’ll learn anything from someone as broken as me.”</p><p>He stared at the ground, defeated, and so he almost missed the glint that appeared in Edward’s eyes. The merman sighed, but he didn’t give up.</p><p>“Just let me check your wing, okay? We’ll have all the time to speak about your hunting techniques once you’re healed, if you decide to change your mind, that is.”</p><p>Oswald hesitated for a minute. He still hated the idea of having someone touching him when he was so weak, but Edward’s interest in patching his wounds seemed genuine.</p><p>“Fine, but if you try anything sketchy, I’ll slit your throat open. Understood?”</p><p>Oswald wished his threatening tone would have awaken fear in the heart of the merman, but it didn’t look like it. On the contrary, it only seemed like he was excited to finally be able to take a close look at his wings.</p><p>“I’ll do my best to be careful, tell me if it starts hurting.”</p><p>Edward mowed slowly towards him, but Oswald was still startled when the merman put his hands on his frail wing. He wasn’t that used to physical contact, at least contact that weren’t mean to harm him. His mother had been the only person to show him that kind of gentleness.</p><p>Centimeter by centimeter, Ed worked on spreading his wing as far as it would go. Sometimes, his fingers lingered on a feather or on the skin underneath for a little while longer than they had to, but he was cautious, just as he had promised, and his dutiful inspection never brought Oswald any pain.</p><p>Once his wing was completely spread, he discovered that Edward had used a makeshift splint to make sure his bones would heal correctly by using some bark and an old fishnet. Although he was still withdrawn and his mind filled with grief, he couldn’t help but note how resourceful the merman was.</p><p>“Here, it looks all good. As long as you don’t strain yourself, it should heal just fine.”</p><p>“Great, then it means I can leave. Now if you would be polite enough to bring me back to the surface…”</p><p>“What? No! You need to rest or you’ll never get better. Listen, I can understand that this isn’t the best outcome for you, but…”</p><p>Oswald had stopped listening and was already scrambling to his feet. Edward put an arm on his unharmed shoulder to stop him, but he was forced to retreat when the siren scratched at his face with his claws. He dodged just his time so that the blow would only leave a superficial cut on his cheek.</p><p>“I’m really sorry, but you’re not leaving me any choice…”</p><p>“Sorry for what?”</p><p>Instead of answering him, Edward foraged into his bag. Before Oswald could react, he pulled out some sort of thin powder and threw it at the siren. Oswald screeched and coughed, but he suddenly felt exhausted. He barely had the time to realize that the merman had drugged him before everything went dark once more.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Edward caught Oswald in his arms before he could fall on the cold, hard ground of the cave. The siren almost weighted nothing and so he easily dragged him to the other side of his shelter, so that he could make him lean against the walls of the grotto.</p>
<p>His name was Oswald. Just that little information made Ed feel giddy for a reason he couldn’t pinpoint. Even if all mermen knew that sirens existed, they rarely interacted with each other. Sirens nested in steep cliffs that bordered the sea while merpeople lived in underwater cities, far below the surface. Even though he tried his best not to rush Oswald, Edward wanted to know everything about him, about his kind.</p>
<p>While he was at it, he started to change the bandage covering Oswald’s injured shoulder. It would have been easier to do when he was awake, but that wasn’t really an option anymore. As he checked the wound for any signs of infections, Ed also marveled at the tiny white feathers that grew on Oswald’s chest. He had been forced to pluck out a few of them while Oswald was still unconscious so that they wouldn’t stick to his injury. Now he congratulated himself for doing it at a time when his patient couldn’t complain nor attack him in retaliation.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, Edward put his fingers over the cut on his face. A few drops of blood quickly covered them. So, Oswald’s claws weren’t something he should mess with. Dully noted. He would also need to find a plausible lie to give to the members of his pod when they’ll ask what happened to him. If they paid him enough attention to ask, of course. Not that finding an excuse would be difficult. They always failed to see what was right under their noses.</p>
<p>Edward didn’t resent the siren for hurting him, even if the scratch would certainly bother him for a few days. He had watched Oswald in his sleep and therefore, knew how restless he was in his dreams. He would call for his mother, beg her to forgive him, that he was so sorry for not being strong enough to protect him, when he wouldn’t be letting out sad, heartrending cries. That combined with his injuries gave Edward a pretty good idea of what had certainly happened to him, of what he had lost.</p>
<p>The merman couldn’t say he completely understood his pain. If the mumbles in his sleep were anything to go by, Oswald’s mother seemed to cherish him with all her heart. Edward never got to experience something similar. His own parents always made him feel like a burden, belittling him every change they got, until he decided to leave their pod to make a new life for himself. He couldn’t help but wonder what was worse: to have been deprived of something all your life, or to have it be suddenly ripped away from you when you less expected it.</p>
<p>Still, he decided to leave this question at that for the time being. For now, he would nurse Oswald back to health, and if he was lucky, maybe he would accept to mentor him. And if he didn’t… Well, at least he would surely learn some interesting siren’s facts along the way.</p>
<p>Once he was done putting a new bandage into place, he looked at his handiwork with pride. At least his knowledge on how to take care of an injured person finally served him for something more useful than rescuing stupid, drunk sailors. Even if others of his kind kept repeating how it was their duty to rescue those in needs, Edward hated it with a passion and thought that it was a colossal waste of his intelligence.</p>
<p>Even as his eyes lingered on Oswald’s sleeping form, he knew he couldn’t stay here for long. The other mermen of his pod would certainly start asking questions if they found out about his absence. Not that he was sure of it, with how little they cared about him, but he couldn’t risk it anyway.</p>
<p>However, he couldn’t be reckless, not when he had to make sure they would never discover what happened to Kristen.</p>
<p>With that in mind, he made his way to the exit of the cave. He was relieved when he plunged back into water. Nothing made him feel clumsier than to have no choice but to crawl on land. In that aspect, he envied sirens who were not only able to fly and to walk on land, but also to swim almost as fast as a merman, even if it was only for short periods of time.</p>
<p>As he took the direction of the city where his pod lived, he tried as best as he could to take Oswald off his mind. It wouldn’t do to look too distracted in front of his peers. Still, he could feel that this would be a long wait.</p>
<hr/>
<p>For a few days, they fell into a routine. Ed went by to examine Oswald and change his bandages, then he would be forced more often than not to drug him into sleep. He took no pleasure in it, especially since he yearned to talk more with him. However, if he let Oswald overstrain himself, he would never heal.</p>
<p>As for Oswald, he struggled to find any meaning in what he had become. When he woke up while Ed was gone, he would usually curl up into a ball and cry his heart out. Even his pride as a siren wasn’t enough to stop himself from being so weak. He didn’t even fancy getting his revenge anymore, not when everything felt dull, empty. He might just have let himself die if Edward hadn’t been so intent on feeding him and caring for him.</p>
<p>Oswald didn’t really understand why the merman kept on wasting his time with him. Didn’t he realize he wasn’t in any state to mentor him or anything like that, not when he had lost all his fire, all his determination to defeat his foes?</p>
<p>He still told Edward about his past successes, about how he once was the most powerful siren of his colony before Galavan stole everything that belonged to him. Each time he lost himself in his nostalgia, the merman was eager to listen to him.  More than once, Oswald even caught a glimpse of admiration in his eyes.</p>
<p>Not that he mattered. This time was over and Oswald was finished.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Edwards cursed under his breath as he swam towards the cave where he kept Oswald hidden. He was planning on returning earlier, but Jim had wanted to talk with him right as he was about to leave, and as if it wasn’t enough, the conversation had turned around Kristen’s disappearance.</p>
<p>Did he suspect something? But it was impossible, Edward had made sure to cover his tracks, to destroy all evidence. There was nothing he could prove, maybe he was only doing this to destabilize him, force him to make a wrong move…</p>
<p>Ed mentally slapped himself. Now wasn’t the time to succumb to panic and paranoia. First and foremost, he needed to check on Oswald. The siren was probably wondering what was taking him so long.</p>
<p>When he entered the cave, Edward found Oswald laying on his side, his eyes wet with unshed tears. He was humming something that sounded a lot like a lullaby. The siren didn’t notice his presence yet, so the merman stayed quiet so he could listen to it for a while longer. There was something unique about this moment, to the point where he felt bad to intrude.</p>
<p>After a while, he decided that he needed to make his presence known, no matter how much he hated to break the charm that surrounded the cave. He cleared his throat, before climbing out of the small pond of water that led to the ocean.</p>
<p>“That’s a nice song.” He commented as he got closer to Oswald.</p>
<p>“My mother used to sing it to me every night. It’s weird to think that I’ll never hear it from her again.”</p>
<p>Even as he spoke, Oswald’s eyes seemed lost in past memories, almost as if he barely registered Edward’s presence.</p>
<p>“Think you could sing it to me? In memory of her. You speak about her all the time, it makes me want to know how she was like.”</p>
<p>Now, that caught Oswald’s attention. He turned around to stare straight into Edward’s eyes, and when he found nothing but gentleness in them, he let out a small sigh.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess I can do that.”</p>
<p>Ed tried not to look too expectant, even though he was always eager to learn anything connected to Oswald’s siren life. Then the other man opened his mouth, and he was lost.</p>
<p>“<em>The fire has gone out, wet from snow above…</em>”</p>
<p>As much as he concentrated, Edward just couldn’t keep track of the lyrics. Nothing mattered but the perfect tone of Oswald’s voice, the graceful notes he mastered better than anyone else ever could. Somehow, Ed found that he just couldn’t keep his eyes off of him. Even in the depths of his despair, the siren looked beautiful.</p>
<p>All of a sudden, he was tempted to run his fingers through his silky black hair, to kiss all of his freckles one by one. He found himself wondering what if would feel like to take Oswald in his arms, to hold his body tight against his own. Then his eyes fell upon the siren’s lips and he couldn’t help but wonder if they would be as soft as they looked. Unconsciously, he leaned towards Oswald, his heart beating faster than ever.</p>
<p>Then the song ended and Edward was thrown back into reality. A blush spread through his cheeks when he realized what he had been thinking mere seconds ago. His eyes grew wide when he realized how close he was to Oswald. Taken aback, he tried to move away as fast as he could, but he struggled to move his tail on land in the midst of his panic and embarrassment.</p>
<p>“Oh, I didn’t think it would affect a merman. Well, I guess that’s good to know.”</p>
<p>“What are you talking about?”</p>
<p>“My voice. Well, sirens’ voices in general. They have the power to seduce our preys and to lure them into a false sense of safety. I’m sorry for not warning you, I assumed your kind would be immune to it, since you’re a creature of the sea as well.”</p>
<p>Any other time, Ed would have been drowning Oswald under a ton of questions about this special ability. But at present, he was just grateful that the siren didn’t use it to make fun of him. Even if his reaction had been caused by Oswald’s power, he was still under the impression he had made a fool of himself.</p>
<p>Not only that, but a tiny, nagging part of his mind didn’t seem ready to let go of the images Oswald’s voice put in his head.</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s not a problem, just, uh, warn me first if you ever do it again, okay?”</p>
<p>Edward internally winced at how awkward he sounded. Okay, now was the time to change the subject before he embarrassed himself even further.</p>
<p>“Anyway, I brought back some fish for you to eat. I hope you’re not getting tired of it, I know it’s not much compared to what you must be used to…”</p>
<p>He pulled them out of his bag one by one. Mermen’s diet mostly consisted of sea plants and so he didn’t go hunting for fish that often, but he had found out that he liked doing it for Oswald. The siren accepted his present without complaining. After all, he must have been hungry, seeing how long it took Edward to join him.</p>
<p>“Nah, it’s okay. I ate a lot of fish even before you brought me here, you know.”</p>
<p>“Really? I thought… Well, you did say yourself that sirens prey on humans, right?”</p>
<p>A small grin appeared on Oswald’s face. It didn’t take long for Edward to realize that he liked that look on him. If only he could find a way to soothe his sadness so he would see this side of him more often.</p>
<p>“Well, they sure make for a great snack there and then, but if my kind only relied on that source of food, we would all starve. So we end up with fish on our plate more often than not.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I never thought about it that way, but that makes sense. I mean, you can’t just wait for a boat to show up whenever you’re hungry, right?”</p>
<p> “Now you get it.”</p>
<p>Just like every day since he rescued him, Edward then made sure that Oswald’s injuries were healing nicely. Not that he even found anything worrisome. Actually, he suspected that sirens were able to recover more quickly from a wound than mermen or humans.</p>
<p>But as he worked on making sure that the wing splint stayed in the right position, Edward couldn’t help but think about what Oswald just told him. So humans weren’t as common a prey for sirens than he expected… Then maybe if he managed to bring one to Oswald, then he would be pleased! Also, it would be the perfect occasion for Ed to prove that he wasn’t just all talk, that he was perfectly able to kill someone.</p>
<p>With that idea in mind, he decided to wander near the surface once he would be done taking care of Oswald. Just in case…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oswald let out an annoyed chirp. He was trying to put his feathers in order as best as he could, but the humidity of the cave was ruining his work. Why did everything have to be so damp in here? He was pouting when he noticed a few ripples at the surface of the pond. Immediately, he jumped to his feet. By now, he knew what the sign meant: Edward was coming to see him.</p>
<p>And just as he expected, the merman quickly surged out of the water. Oswald was about to greet him, but he stopped in his tracks, because Ed wasn’t alone. He carried another man out of the water, a siren, Oswald quickly realized when he saw his wings. They were tied together with ropes and the stranger was unconscious. Edward hit the newcomer in the middle of his back and he spat out water in his sleep. From the pale shade of his skin and the blue of his lips, Oswald could tell he had only been minutes away from drowning.</p>
<p>Before he could find his words to ask Ed what the hell was going on, the merman dragged the stranger at his feet, then looked up at him with the most joyful smile he had ever seen.</p>
<p>“Good morning Oswald, look what I brought for you!”</p>
<p>“It’s… another siren? Edward, why would you bring a siren here? Listen, I know that you must be worried that I’m getting lonely, spending all my time in here, but…”</p>
<p>“No, you don’t get it! Let me explain. After that talk we had the other day, I thought I could capture a human for you. I was looking for one when I stumbled upon Leonard here. He was searching the area, clearly looking for someone or something, so I figured it had to something to do with you. Turns out he’s working for that Galavan you told me about. I figured you would enjoy killing him yourself.”</p>
<p>Before his mother’s death, Oswald would have seized such an opportunity without hesitating. Now, he wasn’t so sure anymore.</p>
<p>“Wait, how did you learn he was following Galavan’s orders?”</p>
<p>“Oh, he became quite eager to talk after the third time I plunged his head underwater.”</p>
<p>Looking at Ed’s hopeful smile, Oswald could tell that the merman was trying to impress him. But his attention was soon diverted elsewhere when he noticed a gash on the merman’s chest. It didn’t look too deep, but it was still a nasty injury. A burst of anger ran through his veins as he realized Ed could have been killed trying to capture Leonard, had he been less lucky.</p>
<p>“Wait, you’re hurt!”</p>
<p>“That? Oh, it’s nothing. It’ll be gone in no time.”</p>
<p>“Don’t take me for a fool, Ed. I know what sirens’ claws can do.”</p>
<p>“Alright, maybe he managed to take me by surprise once. But overall, I think I did pretty great! So, what do you want to do with him?”</p>
<p>Oswald took a look at the other siren laying on the floor. The apathy he experienced these last few days was suddenly gone. This Leonard dared to touch Edward, to attack someone who mattered to him, and he would pay dearly for it. He had spent enough time mourning his mother in the darkness of this underwater cave, now it was time for him to strike back.</p>
<p>“Oh, once he wakes up, I’m going to take my time killing him, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>“Can I help with it?”</p>
<p>Edward’s voice was filled with so much eagerness that Oswald just couldn’t find it in him to tell him no.</p>
<p>“Sure. I guess it’s time you showed me what you can really do.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>By the end of it, they were both covered in blood and Leonard’s body was barely recognizable. The merman and the siren were laughing together, satisfied with their crime. Edward took a quick glance at the corpse and reminded himself to leave it on the territory of some great white shark so it would be dealt with. He couldn’t have it rotting in here.</p>
<p>If the merman’s scales looked like a mess, with blood seeping in between them, Oswald’s feathers were in an even worst state, all ruffled and stained. And yet, Ed found himself enthralled by this new version of him. While threatening Leonard for answers, he had discovered that Oswald was even more important than he had dared to imagine. Now, he knew how he had taken control of his colony all by himself, by killing or deterring away sirens who ruled over it for several years.</p>
<p>Naturally, this only added to his desire to stick by his side so he could learn from him. He was about to ask him about it again, but Oswald beat him to it.</p>
<p>“Now, we still need to clean up your wounds. Once that’s done, we can start thinking about a way to take down Galavan.”</p>
<p>“We? Did I hear that right?”</p>
<p>“Don’t get too smug. I’ll just need some help if I want to get rid of this bastard and so far you’ve been, well, reliable.”</p>
<p>Despite Oswald’s warnings, Edward couldn’t hide his joy. He even let out a little happy noise that sounded a lot like the click of a dolphin. The siren rose an eyebrow, but he didn’t comment on it.</p>
<p>“Remember what I say, we take care of your injury first.”</p>
<p>“Roger Dodger.”</p>
<p>The expression he used earned him a strange look from Oswald, but the siren still sat next to him so he would be at the right height to treat his wound.</p>
<p>Edward expected to be done with this quickly, but he was proven wrong. Oswald didn’t work fast, on the contrary. His claws made it difficult for him to be precise and he had to be careful so he wouldn’t tear apart the bandage he was trying to apply on Ed’s torso. The siren bit his own lips, lost in concentration. The merman stayed silent, not wanting to make this anymore difficult for him, but deep down he found his awkwardness endearing.</p>
<p>The final result didn’t look like much, but it wasn’t a problem for Edward, on the contrary. If any other merman commented about it, they would have no trouble believing that he had tried to do it alone, and not with the help of the winged predator who was now smiling proudly at him.</p>
<p>“Here, all done.” His eyes lingered on the bandage now wrapped around Edward’s chest. “I still can’t believe you went against a siren and won. I mean, you can’t even fly!”</p>
<p>This time, Edward crossed his arms, upset by that remark. Why couldn’t Oswald accept that he could be competent at killing?</p>
<p>“Well, I took him down, didn’t I? Isn’t it all that matter?”</p>
<p>“Don’t take it personally. It’s just… My kind isn’t exactly known to be vulnerable to other species.”</p>
<p>“Well, tending to you helped on that regard, I won’t lie. I almost knocked him out the moment he tried to sing. I wouldn’t have been wary of that without you.”</p>
<p>“Well I guess that explains that. How did you manage to capture him in the first place, anyway?”</p>
<p>“I took him by surprise as he was standing on the shore. I grabbed him by his wrists to protect myself from his claws, then I pulled him underwater. It’s surprisingly easy, with how light you sirens are. After that, I may have broken a few of his bones to make sure he would stay calm.”</p>
<p>As Edward came to the end of his explanations, something changed in Oswald’s eyes. The merman couldn’t be certain for sure, but he had a feeling the siren was finally realizing his potential, that his skills could be useful. He desperately tried to repress those thoughts. He shouldn’t get too attached, shouldn’t imagine anyone would value him for who he really was. It never worked well for him and he was persuaded it never would.</p>
<p>“I must say, I’m quite impressed. Now, before we get started on what I could teach you, maybe you could tell me about these other people you killed. I would like to know what you’re capable of.”</p>
<p>Edward nodded. He knew a lot about Oswald’s story and how he ended up in this situation, so it felt only fair that he would share what happened to him as well.</p>
<p>“Let me just warn you, it might be quite a long story if I want to put things into context.”</p>
<p>“I’m trapped here until my wing is healed completely; I think I have all the time in the world.”</p>
<p>Before he started talking, Ed made himself comfortable, stretching his green tail. Oswald imitated him, finding the coziest position to listen to his tale.</p>
<p>“Well, it all started when a sailor fell from his boat, not far from my city. I was with Kristen that day, a friend of mine. Actually, friend might have been too strong of a word at the time. Let’s say she was one of the few, if not the only one, of my pond who showed me some kindness. I fancied her and I tried my best to impress her, but that didn’t really pay off. When she saw that man about to drown, she insisted that we save him. I didn’t really find any joy in helping humans like she did, but I agreed to help her in hope that it would give her a good image of me. We rescued the sailor and I thought it would be the end of it. I was wrong. As it turned out, Kristen took a liking to the man and started dating him.”</p>
<p>“Is that the story? did you kill him so you could get your girl?”</p>
<p>Oswald looked unimpressed, as if he already heard that kind of tale a thousand times. The merman quickly shook his head.</p>
<p>“Not exactly. After a while, I discovered that he was hurting her. He beat her and threatened to reveal the location of our city to other humans if she tried to leave him. I found out about it because of the bruises on her arms. I couldn’t stand to see her treated this way, so I went to confront him. I told him to leave her alone, but he only laughed at me, so I stabbed him. Multiple times.”</p>
<p>“What a knight in shining armor you are. I’m almost surprised this Kristen doesn’t complain about you leaving all the time to visit me here.”</p>
<p>“That’s because you don’t know the whole story yet. We did start dating after I killed Dougherty — that was his name — and it got to the point where I thought I could trust Kristen completely. So I told her about what I did to protect her, about the murder, but she panicked, said that I was sick, that she would denounce me to the rest of my pod, that they would imprison me… I tried to explain myself, but she just wouldn’t calm down and I… I strangled her. I didn’t mean to, but I still did it.”</p>
<p>Edward took a deep breath. This was the first time he ever told someone the whole story. Taking into account Oswald’s own background, he was pretty sure the siren wouldn’t judge him, but doubt was still nagging at his heart. He was always scared of being rejected, of being seen as a freak.</p>
<p>Instead, Oswald looked puzzled, his head slightly bent to the side as he tried to analyze what he just heard.</p>
<p>“Wait, so you’re telling me this Kristen got mad at you because you killed the man who harassed her?”</p>
<p>“I guess that sums it up pretty well, yup.” He replied in a bitter voice.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, it’s just… It doesn’t really make any sense to me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, really?”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m a siren, Ed. In my colony, if someone killed an enemy of their mate, they would be rewarded for it. Hell, it would be seen as a romantic gesture, even.”</p>
<p>Edward let out a pitiful sigh as he took a second to mourn what could have been.</p>
<p>“I sure wish Kristen would have seen it that way.”</p>
<p>Oswald put a hand on his shoulder. Edward blinked, surprised, before he realized he was trying to comfort him.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, don’t worry. After all, this whole ordeal showed me what my true calling was. I just can’t keep enduring the same boring life as the other mermen. I know I can do so much more.”</p>
<p>“Then I guess it’s time I start teaching you what I know. Shall we begin?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oswald couldn’t miss how impatient Edward was. The merman wouldn’t stop fidgeting around, with his eyes fixated on him. It almost made the siren feel nervous. Sure, killing Leonard brought back his fighting spirit, but a nagging doubt wouldn’t leave his mind. What if he never managed to completely go back to his old, murderous self? What if Edward ended up being disappointed in what he would teach him?</p>
<p>He mentally slapped himself. Thinking like that wouldn’t get him anywhere. As a siren, he was practically born a killer. There was no reason this could go wrong. He took a long look at Edward, examining him from head to fin.</p>
<p>“So, let’s start with the basics: you look inoffensive, unimpressive, naive even, dare I say, and you don’t have natural fangs or claws to kill your victim with.”</p>
<p>A pang of hurt appeared in Edward’s eyes at that description. He stared at the ground, obviously wanting to hide his disappointment from Oswald.</p>
<p>“Oh, I guess that’s true… But still, I can assure you that I’m sure I can learn to become quite deadly, and…”</p>
<p>“Ed, I saw what you did to Leonard. I already know what you’re capable of.” Oswald cut him. “Besides, I never said that your appearance or your lack of natural weapons was a bad thing, on the contrary.”</p>
<p>“It’s not?” He asked in a small voice, hope slipping through.</p>
<p>“Edward, what you have is the most precious gift a killer could wish for. You look harmless. You can use this to your advantage, whether it be to lure your victims or to have your enemies underestimate you. How do you think I managed to become the leader of my colony? No one expected the scrawny siren with a twisted leg to be a threat.”</p>
<p>“What? But you look… intimidating.”</p>
<p>“To you, maybe, but not to the rest of my kind. They mocked me, called me Penguin because of my limp and, well, overall appearance. But instead of giving up, I took pride in the name and in no time, I had them all bow before me.”</p>
<p>There it was, just underneath the surface. The rage Oswald feared he would never be able to feel again, the one that gave him the strength to build an empire from scraps. And from the look of admiration on Edward’s face, it was certainly showing in his behavior.</p>
<p>“You’re truly amazing, Oswald.”</p>
<p>The merman blurted the words, then he put a hand over his mouth, clearly embarrassed by his slip of tongue. This arose a weird sensation of warmth in Oswald’s chest. Of course, he was always fond of praises, but it was the sincerity of this one that troubled him. Except for his mother, no one had ever said such kind things to him while <em>meaning</em> them. He tried to hide how this made him feel under false confidence.</p>
<p>“Well, as much as I appreciate the compliment, don’t forget that his is about you, no about me, my friend. So, here’s my first advise: always carry a hidden weapon. You never know when it will come in handy.”</p>
<p>“Easy for you to say, with your claws.” Edward sulked. “Also, where would you want me to keep it?”</p>
<p>With a movement of his hand, he gestured at his smooth scales and bare skin. However, before he could complain even further, Oswald pulled out a knife from in between the feathers of his healthy wing. The merman stared at him with wide eyes, taken aback.</p>
<p>“Wait, you had this on you the whole time?”</p>
<p>“And you didn’t notice a thing, did you?” Oswald smiled, proud of himself.</p>
<p>“I must say that you concealed it quite well, yes, but why? It’s not like you would need it anyway.”</p>
<p>“I’m a siren, Edward. I must be ready for every eventuality. Without a weapon, what would I do if one of my enemies managed to break my claws and talons? Such things are not unheard of among colonies such as mine.”</p>
<p>Edward’s soft features suddenly hardened with determination, although Oswald couldn’t tell exactly what triggered it.</p>
<p>“Always keep a weapon on me. Got it. I guess I’ll just need to find a way not to make it look suspicious.”</p>
<p>Oswald smiled. He had a feeling Ed would be a quick learner.</p>
<p>“Now, onto the main subject: murdering people. Let’s talk about humans first. For someone like you, killing them shouldn’t be much of a problem.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean, for someone like me?”</p>
<p>“For a merman. They have all these silly legends about your kind. I heard it all. They imagine you’ll grant their wishes, bring them fame, glory, money, true love… The fact that they tend to confuse mermaids and sirens advantaged me a few times, I must admit.”</p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t expect any better from those stupid ignoramuses. But you’re right, that’s good to know. So, what should I do? Promise them those things and wait for them to come to me? Because I’m not that very good with speeches, you see. Knowing myself, I might just get distracted in the middle of it and…”</p>
<p>Oswald couldn’t contain his laughter. For someone so smart, Edward still had a lot to learn.</p>
<p>“No, no, that’s the trick. You don’t actually have to say anything.”</p>
<p>“What? But how am I supposed to lure them in if I stay silent?”</p>
<p>The confusion on the merman’s face was endearing, even though Oswald would never admit it out loud. It almost made him forgot that they were actually discussing murdering people in cold blood. Almost.</p>
<p>“Most humans will expect you to be some kind of mysterious, ethereal being. You have to take advantage of it. All you have to do is smile, wave at them, and keep your distance to make them walk towards you. The moment they get into the water, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble drowning them.”</p>
<p>From the way he stared at him, Oswald could tell that Edward still wasn’t sure he could pull it off. He let out a sigh.</p>
<p>“You know what? Theory is great, but there’s nothing like practice. What about you get into the water and pretend I’m a human you’re trying to kill?”</p>
<p>“Oh, well, I guess I can do that.”</p>
<p>Edward sounded insecure, but he still went into the pond. Oswald followed him so he would sit at the edge, curious to see how this would go. After all, the merman had proved to be full of surprises.</p>
<p>However, it quickly became clear that he wasn’t in his element. He was almost static, his shoulders too stiff and the intense look he was sending Oswald looked more threatening than alluring. Well, it looked like he really had things to teach him.</p>
<p>“Okay, that’s a start, but maybe you could try to smile a bit more? And don’t hesitate to swim around a little, to make it look more natural.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sure. Will do.”</p>
<p>Edward’s face spread into a wild grin, but Oswald had to restrain himself from chuckling, because it just looked way too forced. Not that he was completely surprised. After all, it was obvious that social behavior wasn’t exactly the merman’s forte.</p>
<p>“Now, you’re trying too hard. You should rather go for a barely there smile. Remember, we want you to look somewhat distant and mysterious.”</p>
<p>Edward couldn’t hide his disappointment, but he still followed Oswald’s instructions. This time, he looked a little shy, almost cautious, surely because of how unsure he felt. However, for a second, the siren found his heart beating faster at the sight. If he quickly shook the feeling away, he still had to admit that this would surely suffice to lure a human into his trap. However, he felt like he could give further advise to Edward than just ‘smile a little but not too much.’</p>
<p>Also, this had nothing to do with him being afraid that Edward would find his teaching useless and that he would want to find another mentor. Of course not.</p>
<p>“That’s good, very good. Now, when you swim, make sure I can catch a glimpse of your scales underwater, just enough to make it obvious that you are definitely not human. And wave a little, perhaps?”</p>
<p>This time, Edward frowned at his directions.</p>
<p>“Aren’t my gills enough to show that I’m not human?”</p>
<p>“Oh, they are, but I’m pretty sure your scales with have their effect on humans. They like shiny things, after all.”</p>
<p>“Yes, that makes sense.”</p>
<p>With this cleared, he put Oswald’s indications into practice. He was still awkward at times, but Oswald chose against discouraging him to act this way. Actually, he found it added a little something to the merman’s charm. And with how innocent he looked, all soft brown eyes and shy smile, no one would guess his true intentions.</p>
<p>Edward seemed to notice the approval in his eyes, because he gradually became more confident in his gestures. It went to the point where he got bold enough to do a ‘come here gesture’ with his index finger. Oswald almost choked on his own breath at the sight.</p>
<p>“Was this not good?” Ed asked in a small, worried voice.</p>
<p>“No, no, I think you got the hang of it, really. Now, we should go over the part of what to do once you managed to lure your victim in.”</p>
<p>Edward crossed his arms upon the ledge of the pond and laid his chin on it, looking up at Oswald expectantly.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t I just drown them? Or is there more to it?”</p>
<p>“Of course, you should drown them, but you should also get ready for them to struggle. I mean, that’s something we sirens avoid with our voice, but as a merman, you’ll have to think of something else. I mean, not to insult you, but you’re a little lacking in the muscle area.”</p>
<p>Suddenly self-conscious, Edward shifted so he could cover his lithe chest with his arms. Oswald pinched his nose in annoyance, mostly against himself. This wasn’t the reaction he wanted to get out of his friend.</p>
<p>“I didn’t say it was a bad thing. Look, I’m not the most athletic either and yet I’ve managed to take down brutes twice my size. There’s no reason you can’t do it too.”</p>
<p>“You really believe so?”</p>
<p>A glimmer of hope shone through Edward’s eyes, mixed with interest. Clearly, he wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Oswald make use of his killing skills in front of him.</p>
<p>“I do. Now, just think of a way to incapacitate a human who would be resisting you. I’m sure someone with your mind can find a solution.”</p>
<p>Referring to his intelligence seemed to do the trick. Edward bit his lips, deep in thoughts, clearly taking this as a challenge. Then his eyes brightened as he came up with an idea.</p>
<p>“Oh, I know! I could wrap my tail around their legs when they’re still unsuspecting. Like that, they wouldn’t be able to resist when I would pull them underwater, right?”</p>
<p>Oswald couldn’t help but smile at how Edward just wouldn’t stop seeking his approbation. But for once, he couldn’t give him a definitive answer, not when he had no idea how fragile a merman’s tail was. His scales seemed sturdy, but he didn’t want to make any assumption based only on their appearance.</p>
<p>“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t have enough knowledge of your kind to be sure that it would be effective.”</p>
<p>He should have stopped at that, should have ignored Edward’s big, soft eyes that made him look like a kicked seal pup. But somehow, the urge to bring a smile back on his lips was stronger than all his rational thoughts.</p>
<p>“I guess the only way to know would be for you to try it.”</p>
<p>“Well, I don’t really have a human on hand.” Edward pouted.</p>
<p>That was it. That was Oswald’s opportunity to back down and <em>not </em>make a fool of himself.</p>
<p>“I didn’t mean on a human, I meant on me, silly.”</p>
<p>Well, so much for backing down. And for once, it was Oswald who found himself babbling.</p>
<p>“Sure, my body is lighter than a human, so it would certainly be a tad easier for you, but I’d still be able to tell you if you have enough strength to subdue a human and…”</p>
<p>“You would do that for me? Really?”</p>
<p>There it was. The bright, happy smile that easily dug through all of the siren’s defenses. Oswald tried his best to contain the blush that was creeping on his cheeks.</p>
<p>“It’s not much, really. Come on, let’s get this over with.”</p>
<p>Before he could think better of it, Oswald joined him into the water. In doing so, he noticed that the strain in his hurt wing and shoulder was almost gone. It looked like Edward’s treatment was really paying off.</p>
<p>“Right, let’s do this.”</p>
<p>The merman swam toward him until their chests were almost touching. Oswald saw a trace of hesitation in his eyes and he hurried to reassure him.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I’ll be mindful of my claws and talons. I’ll make sure not to hurt you.”</p>
<p>The merman nodded, then he intertwined his tail with Oswald’s legs. The siren tried hard not to focus on how smooth his scales were, although it proved difficult with how close they were. He kept his stare fixated on the jewels that adorned Edward’s chest, afraid of how he might react if he looked straight into Edward’s eyes.</p>
<p>“I’ll try to pull you underwater now. Is that alright?”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s the whole point of this, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>Once he got his clear consent, Edward dragged him under the surface. As promised, Oswald tried to pull up a struggle to see if he could free himself from his grasp. He quickly discovered that the muscles in Edward’s tail were way stronger than he had expected and kept him trapped in an iron grip.</p>
<p>He thrashed around, testing Edward’s limits, but the merman didn’t budge. On the contrary, his tail constricted harder around his legs, until Oswald couldn’t move them at all. To say that he was impressed would be an understatement. In that moment, he sure was glad that Edward wasn’t his enemy.</p>
<p>However, he was quickly faced with a new concern. This already lasted for longer than he had expected and his lungs started to scream for air. As he fought against the urge to inhale water, he hit his fist against Edward’s chest to make him understand that something was wrong. Thankfully, the merman quickly understood what was going on. However, his reaction was nothing like what Oswald expected.</p>
<p>When he understood that Oswald was on the verge of drowning, he immediately locked their lips together. However, the gesture couldn’t be mistaken for a kiss. There was nothing sensual about it. Edward’s mouth stayed still against his, not invading nor unpleasant, simply breathing air right into his lungs.</p>
<p>The merman also released his legs so he could swim faster towards the surface. The moment he got out of the water, he detached himself from Oswald before falling into an uninterrupted flow of excuses.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, I got carried away, I thought sirens could hold their breath longer under water, please tell me you’re alright! Damn, I hope I didn’t worsen your injuries, I didn’t mean to bring any harm to you, please don’t hate me I swear I…”</p>
<p>Oswald put a hand on Edward’s cheek so he would have no choice but to look at him and to stop his anguished monologue.</p>
<p>“Ed, calm down. I’m fine. Also, congratulations: I’m pretty sure no human would be able to escape you with this technique.”</p>
<p>For a second, they stayed silent, just staring at each other, then they both burst out laughing. Oswald hadn’t felt this happy in days.</p>
<p>Actually, he wasn’t sure he had ever felt this happy at all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me on <a href="https://newt-no-newt-yes.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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